The Attorney General (AG), Ahmed Usham has strongly defended the proposed Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, asserting that it is specifically designed to regulate professional media conduct and does not curtail the public's right to social media expression.
His remarks come amidst vocal opposition claims that the bill infringes upon freedom of expression, prompting the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to propose 14 amendments to the legislation.
Speaking on PSM News’ ‘Raajje Miadhu” programme, AG Usham clarified that the legislative intent is to govern media outlets and professional journalists, not individual citizens.
He emphasised that while a member of the public can post content on social media without facing action under this bill, journalists and broadcasters will be held accountable for disseminating defamation and untruthful stories through their professional or related social media accounts.
"This bill will not take action against me and my work even if I write something on social media. However, if they are journalists and broadcasters, they will be taken action against. It will not affect anything done by the public," he explained.
The AG highlighted the long-standing issue of false news spread by media outlets damaging reputations, a problem he believes the current legal framework has failed to adequately address.
While acknowledging the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression, AG Usham stressed the equally important right to protect one's reputation. He presented the bill as a solution to this persistent challenge, aiming to foster a more responsible media environment by setting a standard for truthful information dissemination.
Media outlets, he noted, would be expected not to disclose information known to be definitively false or likely false, and to explicitly state when information cannot be verified.
The AG expressed regret over what he termed attempts to mislead the public about the bill's true contents, urging those spreading misinformation to understand its provisions.
He also noted that while some journalists are vocal in their support for the bill, those expressing concerns on social media have yet to formally submit their objections to the AG's office, despite the bill still being open for revisions before becoming law.